Senior Category Manager Indirect Procurement

The Senior Category Manager, Indirect Procurement reports to the Director of Strategic Sourcing and owns strategy, sourcing, implementation, supplier performance, risk management, and value realization for an assigned portfolio of unit-level indirect and contract-service categories supporting Authority Brands franchise locations. Working closely with franchisees, Brand and Central Operations, Finance, Legal, Information Technology, and other cross-functional stakeholders, this role develops and executes category strategies for services such as uniforms, facilities services, waste and recycling, payment processing, security, telecommunications, and other recurring operating services purchased at the local level.The Senior Category Manager leads spend and demand analysis, supply-market analysis, competitive sourcing, supplier negotiations, contracting support, implementation planning, and ongoing category governance.

The role is accountable for delivering scalable supplier programs that reduce franchisee unit-level costs, improve service quality, strengthen commercial terms, and increase utilization across a decentralized franchise system. Key Responsibilities Manage an assigned portfolio of unit-level indirect and contract-service categories, including uniforms and linen, facilities maintenance, janitorial services, pest control, landscaping, waste and recycling, payment processing, fleet-related services, security, telecommunications, and other recurring location-level operating services.

Develop category strategies incorporating spend, demand, and supply-market analysis; buyer-side Porter’s Five Forces and SWOT analyses; sourcing and negotiation levers; supplier segmentation; risk mitigation; implementation requirements; and adoption plans. Establish and execute annual category value-delivery plans, including savings, cost avoidance, working-capital improvement, supplier performance, risk reduction, and franchisee adoption objectives.

Aggregate franchisee demand and purchasing volume to improve pricing, contractual protections, service levels, and supplier accountability while maintaining flexibility for local operating requirements. Create and manage category timelines and reporting to confirm negotiated savings and other value are realized at the franchise location level. Lead competitive sourcing activities, including Requests for Proposals (RFPs), supplier evaluation, negotiations, award recommendations, and contracting support.

Evaluate commercial models for recurring services, including unit rates, transaction fees, equipment charges, implementation costs, rebates or incentives, service-level credits, price-adjustment provisions, renewal terms, and termination rights. Implement awarded supplier programs across the franchise system, including stakeholder approval, franchisee communications, enrollment, supplier onboarding, training, transition planning, issue resolution, and adoption measurement.

Partner with cross-functional leaders and franchisees to build support for procurement initiatives and drive utilization of preferred supplier programs. Establish supplier governance based on category criticality, including scorecards, business reviews, corrective-action plans, performance monitoring, innovation pipelines, and executive escalation. Manage category and supplier risk, including service continuity, supplier coverage and capacity, information-security and data-privacy considerations, payment-card and transaction-processing requirements where applicable, regulatory requirements, and contingency planning.

Help develop a data-capture system that improves visibility into systemwide purchases and identifies opportunities to leverage scale. Support broader procurement and supply-chain initiatives as required. Qualifications The Senior Category Manager, Indirect Procurement will have indirect procurement or strategic sourcing experience and be comfortable working in a semi-autonomous environment. 5–8 years of progressive experience in indirect procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management, including leading RFPs and supplier negotiations.

Experience evaluating complex service-pricing structures, transaction fees, service levels, implementation requirements, contractual terms, and supplier performance measures. Experience implementing suppliers and programs across multiple business units, field locations, or franchise operations and driving stakeholder adoption. Proven category and supplier risk-management experience, including service-continuity planning, supplier due diligence, and proactive identification of emerging risks.

Understanding of financial reporting and ability to use technology to generate category insights, monitor value delivery, and improve execution. Ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects on aggressive timelines. Experience securing suppliers and implementing new vendors and programs in a decentralized field organization. Strong supplier and implementation management experience, including requirements development, contract review, pricing and service exhibits, and oversight of multiple suppliers.

High proficiency in Microsoft Office. Ability to use AI as a support tool while maintaining ownership and understanding of the content produced. Comfort presenting to large audiences. Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, finance, engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience.